???: That's fine. But whether you're a fake using his name or the real one... Someday, I'll kill you...

The masked person threatened as he walked away, disappearing into the shadows.

Akiri: ...Not if I kill you first...

Akiri muttered as he deactivated his photon sword and clipped it to his belt.

Akiri: (thoughts) Looks like the past has finally caught up to me...

He looked back to where the masked man disappeared to.

Akiri: (thoughts) And I can no longer run from it...

His fists tighten subconsciously. Seeing the mark of Laughing Coffin for the first time in a long while, made him recall his memories. Memories he'd rather forget, and leave behind. However, it seems that he could no longer ignore it...

(Flashback)

A memory plays in his head. He found himself back in SAO, making his way through a dungeon alongside a total of fifty other people from different guilds who allied with each other to eradicate the red guild, Laughing Coffin.

DDA Member: We're nearing Laughing Coffin's base that was in the report. I'll go over this once more before we attack

A member of the Divine Dragon Alliance announces, being the leader of the group as they halted their march.

DDA Member: The people we are up against are red players! Once the battle starts, they aren't gonna think twice about killing anyone of us. So don't you hesitate either, or you're dead

Akiri is seen standing next to Asuna with his arms crossed, and Kirito is standing in the back.

DDA Member: But we, in the lead group, have more people and higher levels than they do. They may actually surrender without resistance

Akiri: I wouldn't count on them surrendering. Be ready for a fight...

As he said that, Kirito had a sudden feeling and turns around to see several Laughing Coffin members coming from above and he along with the others at the back started to engage in battle.

Akiri: It's a trap!

He shouted as he saw more LC members coming from the front and the sides as well, completely surrounding the group. As they saw many more of them coming in, they realized that the whole group were caught in an ambush.

DDA Member: Impossible... Information about our plan was leaked...?

He mutters in disbelief, in shock at what he is seeing.

Akiri blocks a strike from an enemy while Asuna knocked one over with a series of thrusts before ducking to avoid a swing, and Kirito is engaged with two enemies at once.

The fierce battle rages on as more blood were spilt, with both sides suffering losses. Some LC members retreated, some of them were captured.

As the others kept fighting, three guys had one of the LC members cornered, with his HP in the red.

KoB Member: This is the end. Surrender!

DDA Member: Hey! Are you listening?

They shouted as the man they cornered breathed heavily, not responding to their orders as he just held up his sword.

KoB Member: Stop! One more attack, and you'll die!

DDA Member: Stop... Stop it!

They demanded, however the player just looked at them with a crazed smile as he lunges towards one of them and stabbed one of the two KoB Members before slashing another one, killing both of them.

The DDA member fell over and dropped his sword as he had panickly blocked a strike, and the LC member brought down his blade and finished the job.

Akiri's eyes widened as he witnessed two of his guildmates being killed in front of his eyes. Looking around, he can see more players being killed from both parties, their screams echoes throughout the dungeon.

The grip on the handle of his blade tightens, seeing the bloodshed. So many of his fellow friends, people he knew from his guild were killed.

He was snapped out of it as he saw the LC member charging towards him and he blocks the attack. They locked blades, their faces up close to one another, the player still had a smile on his face and Akiri grits his teeth. His anger grew by the minute.

Akiri pushes him off, and without hesitation, delivered a killing blow, and the player explodes into tiny polygons.

For the first time ever since being trapped in the death game, Sword Art Online, Akiri had taken the life of another player, another human being. Even though the man was a killer, it didn't change the fact that Akiri himself had now killed someone. It didn't change the fact that he now have blood on his hands. However, he is too blinded by his rage to think about that.

He saw another LC member coming for him. He parries a slash aimed at his chest, knocking the player back with the sheer strength of his swing. With an enraged shout, he thrusts his blade forwards, impaling the hooded player in the stomach, reducing them into polygons.

What happens next, was nothing more than a slaughter. In the end, nine of the raid group was lost, and a total of twenty-three LC members are killed.

The people he killed that day, will be among some of the many lives he will eventually go on to take...

(Flashback over)

The boy's breathing started to get ragged, he started to sweat heavily, and a warning popped up in his vision, telling him that his heart rate is increasing as he tightly grasps his chest.

Akiri: (thoughts) Stop... It hurts... I don't want to remember...

The things the red guild had done, all the deaths he witnessed flashes through his eyes in an instant...

(Flashback)

He's back in SAO. In a dark clearing in the middle of a forest. In front of him, is a hooded player, backing away from him with his arms up with the look of fear in his eyes.

???: I surrender! Just take me to prison!

Akiri: Prison? After all the people you murdered...?

He muttered as he slowly lifts his blade up above his head.

Akiri: People like you don't deserve to live...

(Flashback over)

The boy slowly made his way to sit down at one of the tables, still clutching his chest and taking deep breaths as he tries to calm himself down. However, his body wouldn't stop trembling, his hands wouldn't stop shaking no matter how hard he clenches them.

He's trying to force back the memories, trying his hardest to forget, but to no avail, as the painful memories kept flowing. The sight of his blade going through so many people. The screams of them begging for mercy. He is forced to be reminded of it.

Over...

And over again...

???: Hey

He was startled as someone patted his shoulder and he turns to the side to see that it was Sinon.

Sinon: You're a mess. Was the fight that close?

She said, seeing how he was shaking, his fists tightened. He just stayed silent, his gaze returning to the floor.

Sinon: If your first fight already has you like that, you'll never make it to the finals. Get a grip on yourself. You owe me

She said as she then went to walk away, but Akiri's hand suddenly moved to grab her wrist, stopping her.

Sinon: H-hey-

Akiri: Wait...

He muttered quietly, his voice as slow as a whisper. He himself had no idea why, but his hand had somehow moved to stop her, seemingly on its own.

Her eyes widened as she noticed the state that he is in. He looks scared, frightened by something. The very scene reminds her of herself. With the way his hand is shaking, she's now unsure of what causes him to be like this. She had initially thought it was because of his previous match, but now, she wasn't so sure anymore. She knows that something is off.

Sinon: What's wrong?

She asked, now with a concerned look on her face. He then lets go of her hand, his body still trembling.

Sinon: Did something...

Before she could finish, he had already been teleported for his next match, leaving her staring at where he was sitting with an uneasy look.

(Timeskip)

In the waiting room, Sinon is currently watching all the other ongoing matches on the live screen. However, out of all the fights that are being broadcasted, she is focusing on Akiri's 4th round fight.

She notices how he was rushing straight at the other player, deflecting every single one of their shots and slashes him once he got close, killing his opponent.

Sinon looked at his fights with a troubled look. All of his matches she watched, it baffles her how aggressive he fought. It is as if he wasn't thinking at all, and kept rushing straight to his opponents, overpowering them with sheer speed and strength alone.

It reminded her of a predator, mindlessly chasing its prey.

Spiegel: He keeps fighting like that and keeps winning... His next fight is in the semifinals. Sinon, yours is too, right? Good luck

Spiegel, who is standing next to her, said. However, Sinon didn't reply and kept staring at Akiri on the screen, turning off his photon sword and clipping it to his belt.

Sinon: (thoughts) What happened to you...?

(Timeskip)

Akiri had just finished his 5th match and the final round of the qualifying tournament. As he was teleported to the waiting area again, he looked up and saw he was fighting Sinon.

Akiri: ...

He was spawned in on a ruined and abandoned highway area, and Akiri just started to walk down the highway, completely ignoring the threat of his opponent.

After a while, as he was passing by a turned over car, a bullet suddenly flew past his head and hits the car behind him, blowing it up, but he didn't even flinch.

He finally looked over, and saw that the bullet was shot from a double-decker bus a few meters ahead. He then saw multiple red bullet lines, aimed in his direction. He saw that the shots were going to miss, that's why he didn't even bother to dodge when multiple shots went off, all hitting the ground next to him.

Akiri: ...

A few moments later, the shooting stopped and he saw Sinon walking up to him, infuriated.

Sinon: Why?!

She asked, clearly being frustrated with him.

Sinon: Does a fight with me not matter? Is that it?!

Akiri: ...My only goal is to make it to the main tournament tomorrow. I have no more reason to fight...

Sinon: Then shoot yourself with that gun! Did you not want to waste your money on ammo? Or did you think if you let me hit you, I'd be satisfied?

She said, completely infuriated as she took a step towards him.

Simon: "This is just a single match, in a virtual game." I know that's what you're thinking! But don't assume that I think the same way!

She shouted, and he lets out a quiet gasp in surprise, hearing that as he noticed that she was tearing up.

He then recalls what he said to her when they were signing up for the tournament.

(Flashback)

Sinon: But if I do see you in the finals, even if it's a qualifier... I won't go easy on you

She looked at him in the eyes.

Akiri: Of course. I won't expect anything less. I do have to warn you though...

He smirked.

Akiri: I'll be doing the same

(Flashback over)

Akiri: ...I'm sorry, Sinon. I wasn't being fair to you. Sure it's just a game, just one match. But that's why we need to give it our all... That's something that I've forgotten

He then grabbed his gun out of the holster.

Sinon: What are you-

He put his hand up to stop her.

Akiri: You want that match, don't you?

He racks the slide of his pistol and catches the ejecting bullet before holstering the gun back.

Akiri: Then you'll get it. You got any ammo left?

Sinon: Yeah, just one

Akiri: Then let's have a fair duel. We'll move ten meters away. You with your rifle, me with my blade. When this bullet hits the ground, we start. Seems fair enough don't you think?

Sinon: Hang on, if we're ten meters away from each other it won't give you enough time to see the bullet line and react. And with my Hecate, I'll definitely hit you. At that range, l can't miss

Akiri: We'll see about that

He said with a smirk, causing her to look at him with a suspecting look on her face.

Sinon: (thoughts) Why is he acting so confident? Does he have a trick up his sleeve? Whatever it is, I'm ready for it

Thoughts were running in her head, until she then gave an approving nod.

Sinon: Alright. We can finish things that way

Akiri returns the nod before turning around and walks away without another word. After exactly ten meters, he stopped and turns back looking at her as she pulls back the bolt on her rifle, ejecting a used shell, and she aimed her rifle at him.

Akiri then held out the bullet in his fingers, showing it to her.

Simon: (thoughts) He's up to something...

She thought as she then slowly aims low.

Akiri: Okay, here I go...

He declared as he flicks the round high up into the air and he grabs his photon sword without activating it, getting into a ready stance. High tension is in the air as they had a staredown, waiting for the bullet to hit the ground.

The projectile strikes the ground, they both reacted.

Sinon pulls the trigger, shooting off a round heading straight towards him.

His photon sword fired up in a crackle as he swings his blade, and perfectly slices the speeding bullet in half as he started running full speed towards his opponent.

Sinon: (thoughts) No way! That's impossible!

She quickly pulled out her sidearm, however, she panicked when she saw that he was already right in front of her, and she stumbled backwards. She was about to fall over, but Akiri got to her in time and catches her, at the same time placing his blade in front of her neck, securing his win.

Sinon: I was aiming for your left leg... How could you predict where I was firing?

She asked, still wide-eyed and shocked at what she had just witnessed.

Akiri: I saw your eye on the other side of your scope. And looking at where your muzzle was pointed, I can get an accurate guess

Sinon: (thoughts) He predicted the bullet's path just by looking... He's strong. That strength goes beyond a virtual game...!

She thought, still in disbelief.

Sinon: If you're so strong... Then what are you so afraid of earlier...?

She asked, remembering the moment she saw him after his first match. The sight of him shaking and trembling is still fresh in her mind.

Akiri: Strong? That wasn't strength. What you saw was nothing but mere skill

Sinon: You're lying... You're lying... Skill isn't enough to precisely cut through a bullet from ten meters away. How can I become strong like that? I... I'm trying to learn that

She asked, her eyes now tearing up.

Akiri: If that bullet can kill a player in the real world... And if you didn't shoot, you or someone you love would die... Could you still pull the trigger?

Her eyes went wide at the question.

Sinon: (thoughts) Does he know my past? About what happened? No... Maybe he too...

He then deactivated his photon sword and clips it to his belt.

Akiri: ...I couldn't have done it. Not anymore. I thought I could, but I was wrong...

His gaze falls to the ground below.

Akiri: All the bodies I've buried... I can't even remember their names... I just turn my head away and tried to forget all of it, refusing to face it. In the end, I'm just a coward who runs away from it all...

Sinon stared at his face, totally speechless after what he just said, and she dropped her pistol.

He took a deep breath and exhaled. He then looked at her with a smirk on his face.

Akiri: Well, I guess I won

He spoke out, catching the girl surprised at the sudden shift.

Sinon: Eh? Uhh... Umm...

Akiri: Then, could you forfeit the match? Like you said, I don't want to waste bullets. They're getting expensive these days

He joked.

Sinon looked down and realized that he was still holding her, with their bodies pressed together, and she immediately went red on her face.

She quickly pushes herself off of him as she took a few steps back and she then looked at him with a determined expression.

Sinon: Next time, I won't lose!

She shouted, with a slight tint of red on her cheeks.

Sinon: Tomorrow, keep going until you find me!

She turns around and opened the menu so she could resign. She presses the button to confirm her decision and Akiri is declared the winner of the final match.

The looks of shock fills the waiting room as everyone saw the winner get announced. Standing on his own, is the mysterious masked person, looking at the single name displayed on the holographic screen.

(Timeskip)

Akiri opens his eyes and was greeted by a plain white ceiling, the same one he saw when logging in. He is back in the hospital room in the real world.

Aki: Hey, what happened in there?

A voice speaks out from beside him, and he saw that it was Nurse Aki, looking at him with a concerned expression.

Aki: Your heart rate went up a lot. And you were sweating a lot too

Akiri just looked at her silently as he then exhaled.

Akiri: It's nothing. Just the adrenaline rush, I guess. I had an intense match

He said with a smile, but it was obvious that it is fake. But before she could point it out, he had already started lifting himself into his wheelchair.

Akiri: I'm all done here for today. All that's left is to compete in the battle royale

He then started to move towards the door.

Akiri: I'll see you tomorrow, Aki-san

Aki: Ri-right...

With that, he closes the door and disappears from view. Nurse Aki just kept staring at the door before letting out a sigh.